Grave concealing device



Dec. 14, 1937. E. M. ELDER ET AL 2,102,260

GRAVE CONCEALING DEVI CE 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS f/V/A N 5112572 WA FIVE .D- GOODYEA 7?.

ATTORNEYS Dec. 14, 1937. E. M. ELDER 5 AL 2,102,260

GRAVE CONCEALING DEVI CE Filed Sept. 25, 1957 2 Sheets$heet 2 v INVENTORS E/V/Z IV- EZDEE WAY/YE .D- GOODYEAR ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 1 4, 1937 UNITED STATES GRAVE CONCEALING DEVICE Emil M. Elder, Cleveland Heights, and Wayne D. Goodyear, London, Ohio, assignors, by direct and mesne assignments, to The Joseph M. Stern Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corpora.-

tion of Ohio Application September 25, 1937, Serial No;-.165,738

9 Claims. (01. 27-30) This invention relates'to means for concealing or covering an open grave during funeral services and prior to the lowering of the casket thereinto.

In modern funeral services it is customary to cover the borders of the grave and the fresh earth around the grave with mats which may be made of artificial grass resembling material. These mats have been made so that portions overlie the ground immediately adjacent the edges of the grave and other portions thereof hang down and cover the side and end walls of the grave; It'is among the objects of the present invention to provide means whereby covering material, which is preferably artificial grass, may be supported over the'grave substantially parallel to the ground level completely concealing the opening and thus doing away with the distasteful appearance of the open grave prior to the lowering of the casket.

Other objects of our invention are the provision of means for covering the grave which means can be instantaneously and silently releasedto permit the grave to be opened so that the casket can be lowered; the provision of a P5 grave covering mechanism which may be readily adjustable to different sizes of graves; the provision of a grave covering and concealing device whereby artificial grass mats or the like may be provided which will serve to line the border of 30 the grave, cover and conceal the opening'of the grave and line the side walls of the grave when the device is operated to remove the top covering; and the provision of a simple, inexpensive,

positive operating mechanism for covering a 5 grave which may be used in conjunction with the usual casket lowering devices but which is entirely independent of such devices.

The above and other objects of our invention will appear from the following description of one 40 embodiment thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective sectional view of a grave showing the covering mechanism with one of the side mats in covering position, the other 45 side mat in the position to cover the side wall of the grave, and the end being illustrated with the wall covering portion thrown back to expose the operating mechanism of the device.

Figure 2 is an illustrative plan view of a grave with the covering in position'to conceal the open- Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the covering supporting mechanism with the parts in position to support the'mats over the grave opening.

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical cross-section taken substantially on line 4-4 of Figure 2, and illustrating how-the side mats are supported by 7 thelcngitudinal members and-how the end wall coveringmats may be arranged to overlie the side mats.

Figure: 5 is a view looking at the backing side of .the side mats showing one way of securing the longitudinal supports to the mat.

Figured is a view similar to Figure 5 but illustrating a modified arrangement for securing the longitudinal members to the side mats.

Figure 7- is an enlarged cross section taken on line l-'1' of Figure 3.

Artificial grass mats have been used to cover the border of the grave and to line the side and endwalls thereof which comprise a pair of rectangular side mats, such as shown at I and 2 in 'Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, and a pair of T-shaped end mats as shown at 3 and 4. Prior to our invention a portion of each of the side mats I and 2 was permitted to drop down over the edge of the grave to cover the side walls thereof in the manner illustrated by mat l in Figure 1. The depending portions of the T- shaped mats (35 in Figure 1) were permitted to drop down over the end walls'of the grave. The same general types of mats may be conveniently used. -witlr our grave covering and concealing device and our inventionuincludes means for supporting the parts of the mats which normally hang vertically over the side walls of the grave, in. a horizontal position to completely cover the opening and give a flush, grass-like appearance. The casket may be supported above the covering by means of any of the usual casket supporting andlowering devices.

The mechanism by-which the mats are supportedover the opening includes four supporting rods or trunnions 5, each of which includes a stake portion Ewhichis pressed into the ground adjacent a corner of the grave. Extending between two opposite trunnion members 5, and being freely rotatably supported thereon, at one end of the grave is a tubular member 1 while at the otheraendof the grave a transverse tubular member 8 is similarly supported by the other pair of trunnions 5. The: transverse tubular member is providedwitha U-shaped projection 9 and has ,a pair of projections or pins I0 and II extending outwardly therefrom. The U-shaped member 9 and the pins l0 and Ii all lie in the same plane. The transverse tube 8 is provided with similar pins 12 and i3 and a lug i l extends outwardly from the member 8 and lies in the same plane as the-pins I2 and I3. is disposedopposi-te the U-shaped member 9 and the pins l2 and i3 are in longitudinal alignment with the pins I0 and H, as is clearly seen in Figure 3.

A flexible strap 15 is secured at one end to the U-shaped-member 9 by means of a hook i6 and is provided at its other end with an, attaching clip ilhaving'a hole I 8 therethrough. This hole The lug l4 s I8 is adapted to be positioned in alignment with a similar hole in the lug I4 and the downwardly extending end I9 of the latch member 20 may pass through the hole I8 in the strap end I1 and the hole in the lug I4 thus securing the end of the strap I5 to the lug I4. The latch 20 includes a shaft portion 2i which extends through the tubular member 8 and carries at its outer end an operating lever 22. This lever 22, as is seen in Figure 3, is preferably slightly offset from the be later described.

It will be seen that the trunnion members 5 extend some distance into the ends of the tubular members I and 8 thus providing for an adjustment' to fit graves of varying widths.

The mat supporting longitudinal members 26 and 21 are adjustable as to length having tubular portions 25' and 2'! which telescope over the central rod portions and may be secured in the desired position by means of set screws 26 and 21". The tubular ends of the members 26 and 21' are slotted as seen at 28 in Figures 3, 5 and 6, and as seen in Figure 3 these slots permit the longitudinal members 26 and 21 to be supported by the pins I0, II, I2 and I3. The bar 267is supported by the pins I0 and I2 and the bar 21 by the pins II and I3. 7

The longitudinal supporting members or bars 26 and 21 are secured to the rectangular mats I- and 2 respectively. Figure 5 illustrates a plurality of spaced fabric pockets 29 by which the longitudinal rods may be secured to the backing side of the mat. In Figure 6 a modified arrangement is shown in which tape ties 3B are utilized to tie the longitudinal members to the underside of the rectangular side mats.

In setting up the apparatus for use the trunnion members 5 are placed at the corners of the grave with their stake portions 6 sunk into the ground. Thetransverse tubular members I and 8 extend across the open ends of the grave. The strap I5 is then secured to the lug. I4 by means of the downwardly extending end IS of the latch 20 and the tension of the spring 23 will exert a force pulling the lug I4 and the U-shaped member 9 into a horizontal plane. The pins II], II, I2 and I3 will now also necessarily lie in a horizontal plane. The longitudinal supports 26 and 2'! are placed over the pins II] and I2 and II and i3 respectively, the slots 28 in the ends of the members 25 and 21 permitting them to be dropped over the pins from above. As the longitudinal supports 26 and 2'I- are secured to the undersides of the mats I and 2, these mats will be drawn across the opening of the grave and the end portions of the mats, 3I and 32 (Fig. 4), will drop down into the grave between the supporting members 26 and 21. The pins II], II, I2

and I3 are so located that substantially no opening is visibile between the supports 26 and 21. The portions 3 of the end mats may now be drawn over the side mats and will completely cover the seam and also cover the operating mechanism. Figure 2 illustrates the completely covered grave.

The lever 22 is now located below the end mat and hidden thereby. When it is desired to open the grave to permit the casket to be lowered it is only necessary to depress the lever 22 by stepping on it through the covering mat. Downward movement of the lever 22 (see Fig. 3) will lift the latch 20 out of the hole in the lug I4 and will free it from the end'portion I! of the strap. As the end piece I! is provided with a flange H which hooks around. the edge of the lug I4 it will be positively released from the latch 20 and the spring 23 will cause it to snap back out of the way.

When this occurs the force which has been holding the lug I4, the U-shaped hook 9 and the pins I0, II, I2 and I3 in horizontal position is removed and the weight of the longitudinal supports 26 and 21 and of the mats supported thereby will be exerted against the pins I0, II, 52 and I3 causing the tubular members 1 and'8 to rotate on the trunnion supports 5 until the pins extend substantiallyvertically downwardly. This permits the longitudinal supports 26 and 21 to drop down into the grave carrying therewith the side mats I and 2 into the position shown in dot and dash lines in Figure 4. At the same time the overlying portions of the end mats 3 and 4 will also drop down into the grave covering the end walls thereof. As the longitudinal supports 26 and 21 aresecured tothe side mats and as these side mats are pinned to the provision of the elongated trunnion members 5 1 the apparatus may be made to fit graves even though they vary considerably in size.

Although we have described in considerable detail one embodiment of our apparatus, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that numerous variations and modifications may be! made in the specific form of apparatus herein illustrated anddescribed and we do not, therefore, wish to be limited to the specific form of our improved grave concealing device disclosed herein, but claim as our invention all embodiments thereof coming within the scope of theappended claims.

We claim: 1. In grave covering and concealing apparatus, the combination of a mat of flexible material having one portion adapted to lie upon the ground bordering a wall of the grave and a second portion adapted to hang vertically over (ill over the grave opening, and means for releasing said resilient connecting means whereby said rotatable portions and said pins may turn to release the mat supporting member and} permit said second portion of the mat to drop into the grave and hang adjacent said wall thereof.

2. In grave concealing apparatus, a pair of rotatable members supported adjacent opposite top edges of the grave, projections extending from said rotatable members toward the center of the grave, a mat supporting member adapted to engage said projections at its opposite ends, a mat of flexible material, means for securing said mat supporting member to said mat, means for preventing rotation of said rotatable members when said projections extend substantially horizontally into engagement with the ends of said mat supporting member, and means for releasing said rotatable members to permit rotation thereof.

3. In grave concealing apparatus, a pair of rotatable members supported adjacent opposite top edges of a grave, a mat having a portion adapted to overlie at least a part of the grave opening, a supporting member secured to said portion of said mat and adapted to extend across the grave opening between said rotatable members, means on said rotatable members adapted to support said mat supporting member, and means for controlling the rotation of said rotatable members whereby said mat may be supported over the grave opening or permitted to drop thereinto.

4. Grave concealing apparatus including mats secured to the ground on opposite sides of a grave and having portions adapted to overlie the grave opening or to drop thereinto to cover the side walls thereof, a rod member secured to said portion of each of said mats, a transverse support member extending across each end of the grave adjacent the top edge thereof, said transverse supports each having a freely rotatable portion having a pair of spaced rod member carrying projections secured thereto, a'resilient connecting member adapted to connect the rotatable portions of said transverse supports and. hold said projections in a substantially horizontal plane whereby said rod members may be supported thereby, and latch means on one of said transverse supports whereby said resilient member may be released to permit said rotatable portions to turn and drop into the grave said rod members and the portions of said mats carried thereby.

5. Grave concealing apparatus including mats secured to the ground on opposite sides of a grave and having portions adapted to overlie the grave opening or to drop thereinto to cover the side walls thereof, a rod member secured to said portion of each of said mats, a transverse support member extending across each end of the grave adjacent the top edge thereof, said transverse supports each having a freely rotatable portion having a pair of spaced rod member carrying projections secured thereto, a resilient connecting member adapted to connect the rotatable portions of said transverse supports and hold said projections in a substantially horizontal plane whereby said rod members may be supported thereby, latch means on one of said transverse supports whereby said resilient member may be released to permit said rotatable portions to turn and drop into the grave said rod members and the portions of said mats carried thereby, and

means including trunnion stake members adapted to be positioned in the ground at the corners of the grave for holding said transverse supports in position.

6. In apparatus of the class described, trunnion members disposed at the corners of a grave,

a rotatable member carried by two of said trun-' nions and extending along one edge of the grave and a second rotatable member carried by the other two of said trunnions and extending along the opposite edge of said grave from said first named rotatable member, a connecting strap secured at one end to one of said rotatable members, and means on said other rotatable member for detachably securing the other end of said strap thereto.

7. In apparatus of the class described, trunnion members disposed at the corners of a grave,

a rotatable member carried by two of said trunnions and extending along one edge of the grave and a second rotatable member carried by the other two of said trunnions and extending along the opposite edge of said grave from said first named rotatable member, a flexible resilient connecting strap secured at one end to one of said rotatable members, and means on said other rotatable member for detachably securing the other end of said strap thereto, said means including a lug extending out from said rotatable member and having a hole therethrough, an apertured member on the end of the strap adapted to engage said lug, a latch having a portion adapted to extend through said apertured member and the hole in said lug, and means for lifting said latch to remove said portion thereof from locking position in said lug and said apertured member.

8. In apparatus of the class described, trunnion members disposed at the corners of a grave, a rotatable member'carried by two of said trunnions and extending along one edge of the grave and a second rotatable member carried by the other two of said trunnions and extending along the opposite edge of said grave from .said first named rotatable member, a flexible resilient con-' necting strap secured at one end to one of said rotatable members, and means on said other rotatable member for detachably securing the other end of said strap thereto, said means including 2. lug extending out from said rotatable member and having a hole therethrough, an apertured member on the end of the strap adapted to engage said lug, a latch having a portion adapted to extend through said apertured member and the hole in said lug, means for lifting said latch to remove said portion thereof from looking position in said lug and said apertured member and means for preventing substantial vertical movement of said apertured member relative to said lug when in locked position.

rotatable members supported adjacent opposite top edges of a grave, each of said rotatable members having a projection thereon, a mat. supporting member adapted to extend across the grave. opening between said rotatable members and to be supported on said projections, said mat supporting member having tubular ends having slots whereby said mat supporting member may be placed over saidprojections, and means for controlling the rotation of said rotatable members.

EMIL M. ELDER.

WAYNE D. GOODYEAR.

9. In grave concealing and covering apparatus,v r 

